Wielding a Magic Sword
by technotreegrass
Summary: "I realize now that I did not lose the sword but the sword left me." A sword forged from the human spirit and power from gods is not an ordinary weapon, but a character in its own right, with its own story to tell.
1. Chapter 1

It is said that a blacksmith puts a piece of himself into each weapon he makes, and that piece grows into a life of its own if encouraged by the wielder: if it's given a name, shown care in its upkeep, and shares in the glory of victory. But where a normal katana had two weeks to contemplate its existence before it was complete, I was forged in mere minutes, my material more advanced then what any mortal blacksmith ever had access to, tempered with skills that none could ever hope of acquiring, and a higher level of consciousness then what many swords obtain over a lifetime of service. In this early state, only one thing was certain: I was made for a greater purpose then most weapons. But what that was, I had no idea.

It wasn't a reassurance to see similar confusion on the face of who I assumed would be my wielder, a disheveled Japanese man who seemed just as surprised as I that I existed. A sword wants a knowing hand to carry it, to use it smartly in battle and not flail wildly. If I was forged by gods, I wanted an equally worthy owner.

My fears dissipated as my wielder grabbed my tsuka, my handle, a strong, practiced grip, and led me through some motions to get accustomed to my weight and balance. Clearly I was not his first sword, but hopefully I would be his last, his first choice when a weapon was needed. Like any hopeful youth, I was impatient for my first battle, but I did not fidget or attempt to guide my wielder. If the gods made me so quickly for a mortal hand, then battle was close at hand, and I chose to have faith in my master.

In less than an hour after my forging, battle was upon us, and I inwardly smiled as I gazed upon my opponent, a giant that emanated power similar in nature to the gods who created me. So this was my purpose, I was to bring down a monster beyond the mortal realm. I hungered for my first bite of flesh, and it was sweeter than I could have imagined, heat radiating through my cold steel, like the first beam of light to illuminate a mountain cave that had not seen the sun in a millennia. Do not dull my blade on human flesh when there is evil personified to defeat!

Battle was swift, my wielder was a master swordsman and it was pure joy to be held by him. I moved with such speed and grace, cutting the monster's flesh like butter, no matter how many times he regenerated. This was going to be a very happy partnership.

I smiled proudly as I absorbed my vanquished opponent's essence into my blade, feeling him struggle against me to no avail. _I am a mighty blade; evil's bane. No one can stand against my master and me!_ I boasted, though my opponent had no reaction. Could he even hear me, magical being though he was?

"Now let the sword forever banish this evil abomination," my wielder declared before stabbing me deep into the ground, expelling the evil essence into a trap that he could not escape.

The sword? Was that to be my name? Rather disappointing if you ask me. After such a battle, I thought I would be given the name of my fallen foe, a warning to others that if the all-powerful Aku could be bested by me, no others would stand a chance. After such a glorious battle, did we not bond? Was I nothing but a tool to him? Or perhaps he was just too distracted to give me a name at the moment as he ran towards someone's cry. It wasn't fear of more violence that guided him, but worry and concern for someone's well-being. I could feel it in his grip.

How strange, watching my master go from a confident warrior, unafraid of the monster before him, to be struck dumb by the sight of a woman and a babe in her arms. Relations, I wonder? Ultimately, was our battle fought for her and the child? It must have been, as I felt love loosen his fingers and I dropped to the ground. I'll forgive him this disrespect, as he staggered towards the two, like he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. _His family,_ I concluded as he picked me up while holding the infant with the other hand, vowing to forever defend them from Aku, _now my family._ People I would protect until my steel broke under the strain. The child, drawn by his own curiosity, stared at his reflection in my blade, and I stared back, acknowledging my future master-to-be. We were both born under the shadow of Aku; no doubt I would be passed onto him when he came of age.

* * *

Eight years passed. I spent most of my days in peace, resting on a shrine in the throne room, being admired by many castle staff and visitor alike as the blade that brought down a great demon. My wielder, the Emperor of Japan, practiced with me daily, and I accompanied him on every trip outside the castle grounds. I rarely saw real combat, cutting more straw dummies and wooden weapons then flesh. I was still "the sword," but those words were always said with such reverence, so I accepted the unimaginative name.

I enjoyed my time, not envying blades of guards that were often bloodied from dealing with bandits in the hills. I dislike cutting through human flesh: too tough, too messy, nothing like the clean, quick cuts into Aku's flesh and the satisfaction of triumphing over evil. I was too great to be used for such basic deeds. Defeating a great evil and protecting my family was my only concern. Many swords hate peace time, they yearn for the violence and conquering their opponents. I had my great battle; I have the admiration of all who spend time in the castle, and I have my family to watch over and protect. Even if I never see real fighting again, I am content.

I watched the young prince grow up into an energetic boy, frequently practicing with his wooden sword, no doubt pretending he is wielding me and we are fighting many monsters together. If only he and I knew how prophetic that quaint thought was, but we do know that is destiny that we should be together. He often sits at the foot of my shrine, staring up at me, but never makes one move to climb my steps and touch me, even when no other eyes are upon us. When out and about with his father, he is fond of asking questions about me, but not once has he ever asked to hold me. It's as if he is patient enough to wait for the sacred day when he is declared worthy of becoming my new master.

If only it played out as either of us imagined…

When Aku returned, I was not angry at myself for not permanently ending the threat against my family. I was thrilled to taste of his delicious flesh again and repeat the glorious battle we had before. Aku anticipated this and thwarted the Emperor and my plans before we could even start. Had I grown too cocky, facing only mere mortals and nothing like the danger that was Aku in the past eight years? Should I have wanted the demon's death rather than possible chance of resurrection? I spent seventeen years brooding on these very questions.

With the Emperor in Aku's grasp, we were powerless against him. The Empress spirited the young prince and I away from danger. The prince was sent on a long journey to train into a fine warrior so he could avenge his father and his people against the terrible demon. I was hidden away in a mountain temple with the Empress and the best of the Honor Guard, awaiting his return.

I learned humility in those long years. My shrine that demanded admiration was replaced by a hidden alcove inside a statue. My display rack, carved of oak by the finest wood smith in the kingdom, gone. My bed was a gi the Empress had lovingly sewn for her son's anticipated return. Darkness was my most frequent visitor, making me reflect on Aku and his evil ways. I learned to hate it, to fear the dark as the prince did when he was just a babe. He took solace from his parents, and I learned to take solace from the gi and all it symbolized. One day, it and I would join the prince on an epic battle against Aku, and this time I would end his wretched existence for good. No one should know this fear, this dread, this sense that you are completely at the mercy of evil.

I barely reacted when the statue opened and light touched my handle, not caring that the gi and I were lifted out of our home. I lost count of how many times this occurred, always thinking the prince had returned, only to have my hopes dashed when it was only for maintenance, making sure I was pristine condition for when the prince returned. I had almost resigned myself to this purgatory, the endless darkness, forever waiting for a hero who would never come. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, just numbly waiting for my sheath to be removed and the stone to be run down my blade. The same old routine…

Instead, the Empress knelt before me, hands clasped in prayer. This was not typical and it woke me from my stupor. My gaze moved to a stranger garbed in fur, mimicking her pose. Strangers never came, but no one reacted violently either. The stranger was expected…could it be? The stranger grabbed my sheath, raising me high, his eyes narrowed in determination. _The prince!_ He has returned. A swordsman's grip on my tsuka, skill and strength guiding me through increasingly difficult maneuvers, slicing the air with precision movement, my soul was light once more. I was a sword. I had a wielder. I had a purpose. I was going to slay Aku once and for all.

Slung on the prince's hip, we rode in silence. I silently rejoiced at the sensation of sunlight and wind and the wide expanse of land before us. Such freedom compared to my previous cramped quarters! But I was not blind to the desolation that Aku brought to the land. Aku's statues were everywhere, replacing the trees. Weeds struggled to survive in the dry dirt, and the sky was brown from all the dust blowing. The prince said nothing, but I could feel his body tense, his anger at the destruction of his homeland, and I knew we shared the same desire to make things right.

A mine was our first stop. Scouts within the Honor Guard confirmed that the Emperor was a prisoner inside. We had to free him. Silence continued to be my master's dominating trait as we walked through the mine, trying to find him, ignoring everyone else around us. Was the man a mute?

"Here's some water, my Emperor." The child's voice rang out like a bell, and the snap of the whip a crack of thunder. Our pace quickened, and the prince grabbed the whip before it descended upon my former master, throwing the would-be attacker a safe distance away.

"Insubordinate fool! No one attack's Aku's minions. Destroy him!"

So they weren't human then? Good, very good. I smiled as 10 figures were reflected in my blade. I had waited so long for a fight, especially my first with my new master. His hands were quick, we never stopped, easily flowing from one motion to another. My steel cut what I can only describe as solid shadow, ending their lives with a single cut, until nothing but black smoke and red fabric were left. I admired our handiwork for a moment, until I was brought down hard against the metal chain binding the Emperor's hands. I thought nothing of the material I had just cut through. I wish I did, considering how accustomed I would soon become to it.

"What has happened to our land, Father?"

The mute speaks!

"My son, it has been many years since that fateful day that Aku returned from his imprisonment. Enslaved, we have become, to unearth the riches of our land so that Aku can strengthen his powers and begin to take over the world."

"Do not worry, Father, for with the power of this sword, I will vanquish Aku, sending him back into the pit of hate from which he came."

 _Yes!_ I will not fail this time. I shall exterminate his evil soul from ever infecting this world again!

"No!" My former master cried, striking me from the prince's hand. "I thought once like you, but the sword is only a tool. What power has it compared to the hand that wields it? Evil is clever and deception is its most powerful weapon. Let the sword guide you to your fate but let your mind set free the path to your destiny."

We both listened intently to his words, taking them to heart, though it did hurt to be reminded that despite my unique origin, I was still just a weapon, helpless without a hand to wield me, and useless against Aku if anyone but a skilled swordsman held me. He and I had to be a team for this to work, and I aspired to be in complete synchronization with him.

We left with a promise of victory and determination in our hearts. We would not fail. We could not fail. Aku haunted us both since birth, forever in the shadows, waiting to strike. It was time to end this, to flush out the darkness with the holiest of light. My master challenged Aku to appear, and I was filled with righteous fury when he showed himself, anxious to attack, but my former master was right. I had to trust my wielder's instincts and skill and only strike when it was right. The trust paid off, as I tasted of the wonderful flesh while the demon was busy boasting that he was invincible.

"That sword. I remember that blade. I recognize your blood. You are the son of the fool who imprisoned me those many years ago. No matter. Neither he nor the sword had the power to slay me forever. And neither do you."

 _We shall see._

Dodging, darting, slicing, in its own way, the battle mirrored that of the Emperor 25 years before, but I did not let myself get cocky this time. Too much was at stake; I had to keep it together. I flew true, impaling him on my blade, and absorbed him with even more strength then before, sucking him dry of energy so he couldn't move against us. With pleasure, I expelled his essence onto the stone, reveling in his weak state.

If only honor didn't get in the way. If my master didn't give Aku a chance to speak, maybe what was to come would be avoided. I trusted him. I did not try to influence him, though I doubt he would have understood me. We fell prey to the Emperor's warning: _Evil is clever and deception is its most powerful weapon._ But what was done was done, and now we were to wander in Aku's hellish future, looking for a way back to the past.


	2. Chapter 2

_A big Thank You! to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, and faved! It's been very encouraging. Major shout-outs to everyone on the JackXAshi Discord server for their help and encouragement, and all the fun conversations in between._

* * *

Stuck together in a strange land, our bond grew as we both learned to adapt. My master went by a new name, Samurai Jack, and I cut more opponents made of metal more than any other type of skin. It was a challenge to cleanly cut through it as I have with Aku's demonic flesh, but it was a challenge worth undertaking, and still preferable to human flesh.

My life of leisure before my master came back was long gone. Battle was never too far away. Sometimes it was a miracle if a day passed without an opponent, but this only strengthened the bond between my wielder and me. We came to know each other quite well, and I could predict and anticipate his movements in battle, making our actions smoother. We endured some rough battles and close calls, but the graveyard will haunt me forever. Such a thrill watching my opponent crumble to dust with only one hit as we fought the raised corpses. The sheer numbers worried me though; even if it took one hit to kill them, a thousand swings still took its toll. But that was nothing compared to the final undead zombie, a sentient being engulfed in blue flame. I tried to repel it, but instead it overwhelmed me. This was completely different then having hands around my handle, or a sheathe on my blade. This magic wrapped itself around my frame, dominating all my senses, choking me. It seeped into my steel and I was terrified it would travel further, find my soul, and try to erase my existence. Jack needed me, and I needed him. I was determined to be conscious throughout our entire journey and see him home safely to the past, with Aku long gone from this world, never to return.

Fortunately, it was satisfied with just penetrating my frame, somehow acquiring free motion. It pulled me out of Jack's hands, propelling me through the air. This freedom scared me. I didn't know where I was going or what was going to happen. I wanted the guiding touch of my wielder. When the magic dissipated, I was blind to my surroundings, just desperate to banish the ghostly feeling of such violating power. But in the end, what was worse: the magic or being wielded by Aku with the intent to kill my beloved master? I still don't know. I tried to fight it, to achieve free movement on my own, so I could fly back to Jack, but it was to no avail. No matter how my soul pushed against my steel, I could not move at all. Perhaps I would have succeeded if Aku didn't paralyze me with the frightening image of my master pinned to the ground, and me being thrust at the speed of lightning to penetrate his torso and end his life. _Jack, I'm sorry! I never wanted it to end this way!_ I couldn't resign myself to the end like he did. All I could think of was how much I disliked tasting human flesh and blood, and how his would be a thousand times worse. But it never came, I bounced off of his skin like it was rock, repeatedly.

"How? _How?!"_ Aku howled.

 _How indeed?_ I could cut through adamantium like it was butter, but Jack needed a boost in his strength to do so. The only thing I ever failed to cut was the Scotsman's broadsword, supposedly because of the Celtic magic imbued in the blade!

"Even l had forgotten that the sword was forged in purity and strength. It can only be used for good. ln the hand of evil, it can never harm an innocent and so, Aku, it cannot harm me but it can harm _you_."

 _DIE!_ I screamed, taking great satisfaction in cutting the demon to several pieces. _This is it, this is the end!_ I gloated as Jack leapt and I cut my foe in half. But the coward escaped before I could make the final blow. Where Jack was calm and collected, I raged inside my frame, but I still couldn't move even the tiniest fraction of an inch.

Despite all this fighting, he still remained the sweet, polite boy I remembered him as. Kind and gentle to all he speaks with, social status and skill with the blade did not matter to him. He did not boast of his skill. Any time he mentioned it, it was a soft warning to others to not go against him, for the sake of their own life. I have seen so many of our opponents act as vicious brutes, like their skill with the blade entitles them to be arrogant and dominating to every person they met. Jack's skill certainly earned him this "right," more so then many, but he never acted upon it. I was blessed to have such a noble heart wield me in battle. I loved him so much, like a dog who loves its master. I felt closer to him than I ever did with the Emperor.

We were filled with hope that our quest would short. After all, we found our first time portal and our first chance at slaying Aku in the first six months. Both times our goals were thwarted, but we kept the faith that one day we would succeed. Years passed, and every opportunity to go home or vanquish Aku failed in one way or another. Though he rarely voiced these frustrations, preferring to act as if he wasn't bothered by this, I knew my master too well. I knew how much it affected him, and I could do nothing as I watched him sink deep into depression. He began to actively avoid settlements, wandering in the most remote regions of the planet. Battles were often quite short and Jack showed no little to no emotion during them, like he wasn't in the moment and only his warrior instincts kept him safe. His skill never wavered; if anything, it had improved over time, but how could I enjoy our fights if he was so distracted? Days were often spent in complete silence. I often called out to him, trying to engage in conversation, but he never heard me. How I wish I could be the perfect companion for him; he was certainly mine.

After another year of wandering aimlessly with no real destination, we discovered news of another time portal, this one on top of a mountain in a parched desert. I silently cheered when I heard, grateful that I did not have means of physical expression and therefore embarrass myself with such exuberance. I was supposed to be stoic and noble like my wielder. Maybe this was it, maybe this was our chance to go home, to end Aku's tyranny, and banish the darkness from my master's heart. Jack was not so ecstatic, tempered by years of disappointment, and had an honest but pessimistic view. "Aku has destroyed many. I worry that there are none left."

 _But we can at least destroy Aku and free the citizens of this land from his nightmare reign of terror. Isn't that a worthwhile goal?_

Silence, as usual. Not even a subtle twitch or tenseness from his body. He didn't hear me. He never heard me. If my metal could bend, I would slouch on his hip in despair. My optimism faded away to almost nothing as we started our ascent, an easy walk along a long established path carved into the mountain. If the portal did exist and managed to elude Aku for so long, wouldn't the mountain be as remote and treacherous as Mount Fatoom? Wouldn't he know the portal existed if humans could easily reach the site? I ignored our four-legged "guides" that followed us, three tiny but awfully cute mountain goats. _You do your species a disservice calling this mountain home. A child could climb it—by the gods, a time portal! Blessed be the hardiest of mountain goats!_ At last, we were going home! Jack ran as fast as he could, and I wished I had legs myself, anything to help us get into it faster. The lightness in my master's heart as we descended, I haven't felt such joy from him in a very long time. I committed it to memory. How was I supposed to know it would quickly become an instrument of torture?

Of all the ways to be cheated out of using a time portal, being physically dragged out of it was easily the worst. _We were so close!_ But Aku did us a favor, throwing us away like garbage. It snapped Jack out of his shocked stupor. He wasn't going to stop us this time, we are going home!

"Phew! That was close! I didn't think you'd get here so fast." Aku was gloating, making light of our situation. He dares mock us with his humor so close to our goal? _Jack, why are you hesitating! Go, go, go!_

Jack tried again, not wasting anymore of our precious time on the demon, but less than one foot away from the portal's edge, it was destroyed forever by Aku's blast of magic. What if we reached it a moment before? Would we be safe in the vortex or die in the explosion? Would it be better if we did?

"Fool! Oh, fun fact that was the last remaining time portal in existence!"

 _No! Jack, he's lying, he has to be! Why would you trust our greatest enemy, he's trying to break us! There is always hope!_

But Jack believed him wholeheartedly, and his body shook uncontrollably with rage. I felt his anger before, his desire to lash out at nothing just to ease the tension, but never this. I've never felt anything like this, not even when Aku used my master's anger to create Mad Jack. It was terrifying.

"Ooh, so angry! Be careful, Samurai, so much stress will give you a heart attack. Ooh! What am I saying? Please continue! Never mind what I said!" Aku sneered, taking such delight in my master's torment.

 _Monster! How dare you encourage this!_ My spirit struggled against my physical form once again, desperate to gain my own free movement. I was going to attack Aku myself, make him pay for everything he has done to ever hurt every human I have ever loved. Jack held me too tight to move, much too tight. This is not a proper swordsman's grip. He wasn't thinking, he was flailing, too caught up in his own emotions, going against everything he was taught. _You're going to get us killed!_

"Ho, ho! Not so fast, Samurai. I know better than to mess with that sword," Aku warned, easily dodging the haphazard slices. I wanted to wipe that smile off of his ugly face with just one cut. Even if we didn't succeed in finally bringing him down, I wanted just one painful cut to remind him that we were to be feared.

Jack paused, perched upon a flat stone structure, staring menacingly at Aku.

 _Sure, you listen to your worst enemy and not me! Should I ever achieve free movement, I am going to smack you!_

"But before I go, I'll leave you someone to play with." With a flash of light from Aku's eyebeams, the cute little mountain goats became giant, ugly bullish brutes. Yes, they charged us; yes, their intentions were clear: they wanted to hurt us, but it was not self-defense that made Jack sink my blade deep into the brute's brain. He did it out of malice, out of rage, out of spite. This was not the first organic brain I ever penetrated. I was often used to end an animal's life as quickly as possible so Jack may eat it and continue his survival, a noble sacrifice as nature intended. But _this_ …this was cold blooded murder.

Still reeling from the shock of the first kill, I entered the brain of the second animal before I knew what was happening, and this time I was forced to stay there for far too long. Jack was enjoying this far too much, this power to end a life just because he _could_. Buried to my hilt, my blade was surrounded by blood and flesh, every sense I had knew _nothing_ but this animal's innards. Panic filled me, I wanted _out_. I slammed my soul against my metal frame as hard as I could, as often as I could manage. The blade moved a fraction of an inch. _I did it!_ But my efforts to free myself was in vain as I had only managed to cut more brain, reliving the initial horrifying cut that brought me here. _Jack! Get me out, get me out!_

He obeyed, and I numbly tried to process what I had just experienced. The open air that passed over my blade as I was swung around was a blessing, a reminder that I was free of the nightmare I had just endured.

Or so I thought.

I wasn't paying attention to what was happening. I was so focused on my own self-care that I didn't realize I was once again buried into the third animal's brain, and this was the longest one yet. _I can't, I can't do this._ Something inside my master snapped. What is he now capable of? Who will be his next victim when this rage overtakes him, a man, a woman, a child? _I can't take that chance. I will no longer be a part of the senseless slaughter of innocents!_

The animal changed from a hulking brute back to the small, cute mountain goat it once was, snapping Jack out of his stupor. He clearly regretted what he had done, but it wasn't enough. I couldn't trust him anymore. I would not spend my days in fear, hoping and praying he wouldn't enter such a rage again, and be helpless to do anything to stop him. Jack dropped me of his own accord, and through a combination of momentum and my own power, I moved several feet away, stopping at the very edge of the hole that was our way home to the past, now to be my grave as I hid from my beloved master. _Do I really want this?_ 17 years I spent in darkness, developing a strong fear. Who knows how long I would be down there, or if I could ever escape? Jack was staring at his hands, horrified at what he had done. _Yes, yes I do want this._ In the dark, I would be the only one who suffers. With him, those I may murder and their families would suffer.

The weakened stone slab that fell wasn't enough to force me over the edge. That was my own movement, my own choice. Our gaze met for a half-second before I took my fall, his horrified expression matching the sadness deep within my soul. _I love you, my prince. Come back to me when you are whole, please._ I never took my gaze off of him until the darkness swallowed me whole.

 _Jack..._


	3. Chapter 3

Was I to fall forever? Was fate to mock me, forever reminding me of the joy I felt in the portal, but there was never to be an end, pure darkness instead of light, and I was alone instead of with my wielder? _Curse you, Aku! Give me the chance, and I will kill you! I will make you suffer! How dare you torment Jack like this when just living in your world is hell onto itself! He's suffered enough, grant him peace!_

Finally, I hit ground, the vibrations from the force bouncing me back high into the air, threatening to tear me apart if my material wasn't so well constructed and bonded. Still, it was nothing compared to the pain in my soul over losing Jack and watching him give into anger and despair. I lied there, feeling defeated and helpless. The greatest weapon on earth, forged by gods, wielded by a legendary warrior that history would never forget, now rendered useless.

I don't know how long I was down there. When I was in hiding with the Empress, I had the changing of the seasons to tell me the passing of the time, and she would often speak of how old her son would be at any given moment, wishing how she could be there for him during his maturity into adulthood, or invent stories of the things he would do and the mischief he would cause, anything to feel close to her beloved son. I loved the companionship, and joined her in creating stories about my future master to pass the time, but now to think of him only hurt me deeply. I was truly _alone._

Like a coward, I shrank from the darkness, feeling its weight and oppression, treating it like my enemy. I often imagined foes lurking in the shadows, challenging me, mocking me, wondering when they would strike while another part of me clung to sanity, trying to remind me that nothing, literally _nothing,_ was out there. I was safe, but still alone. This was never meant to happen. A sword was always supposed to have a wielder, always meant to have someone nearby, even if the blade remained sheathed and on display rather than hung on a hip. Perhaps fear of a foe nearby was preferable to the sensation of being alone, though both was a great strain on my soul. It took some effort, but I succeeded in shutting my mind off, enter a sleep-like state. Maybe I would never wake up, and revert to being a dumb piece of metal. Ignorance truly is bliss.

I do not know how long I was out, but I felt heat on my handle, and my vision returned as my mind woke up. _What the?_ I was home! Back in the past, lying on a hill that overlooked the Emperor's castle and the village at its base. _How?_ Ah, but who cared about that? My suffering is over! _Jack! Where's Jack?_ Is he a child, an adult? I looked all around me, but I was still alone. My wielder was nowhere to be found. My happiness diminished slightly. If I never saw another battle, if I never hung on his hip, if I never felt his hand on my handle again, I could endure so long as he was safe and happy where he was born to be.

A large figure on the horizon caught my attention, growing at an alarming rate, and the warmth of the sun vanished as a chill ran up and down my frame. _Oh no._ I had gone back to the past alright, back moments before Aku came and set Jack and I down our path. _No, no! Not again! I can stop this; I can save Jack from this nightmare!_ I struggled harder than I have ever done before, but it was all in vain. I did not budge. I watched in shame as Aku grabbed the Emperor and set the kingdom ablaze, gloating in his victory. _I will destroy you, Aku! I swear it! Come on, frame, move!_

" _You_." A familiar voice roughly addressed me. I ceased my useless struggle and turned my gaze upon my master, glaring at me with utter rage and contempt. My soul shrank before his righteous fury. I had seen him this angry before, but it was never directly at _me._ "This is all _your_ fault."

 _You can't mean that!_ Of all the times I wish Jack would acknowledge me as a fellow sentient being, why now?

"Your sole purpose was to defeat Aku, so why is _he_ here?" Jack viciously pointed to our foe. "My father is a master swordsman. He brought down the demon. You should have ended his life then and there. But you _failed_. You let your arrogance get the better of you. You let him live, _you ruined my life."_

 _Jack…_

His eyes narrowed. Did he somehow hear me? "Do not call me that! You robbed me of my birthright, my _true_ name. You banished me to an eternity in a nightmarish hell, and now you are going to suffer as I have suffered."

He grabbed my sheathe and lifted me high above his head. I quaked with fear, terrified of whatever he might do to me. _I never meant for this to happen! I was content lying in the throne room! I didn't want battle, I just wanted to enjoy the peace I brought to the nation! Please, you must believe me!_

 _"_ Enough of your lies!" He shouted, and pulled his arm back as if he was about to throw a spear.

 _Odin, Ra, Vishnu, help me, please!_

"If you love Aku so much, go be _his_ weapon!" He threw me with all his might, and like a comet, I soared across the sky, screaming wildly. Aku caught me with ease, as if he was expecting my arrival, and laughed victoriously while he absorbed my handle into his black mass. I quivered, feeling violated as it surrounded me, choking me, and found its way into my frame, seeking my soul.

"The one thing in this entire world that can destroy me, and you _can't_ do it," he gloated, smiling at me. "You want my power to reign supreme. You admit I am the superior above all. You know the truth, _no one_ can defeat the almighty Aku." He pointed my blade at the helpless Emperor. I shrank at the look of horror and betrayal in his eyes. _I'm sorry! I never meant for it to be this way! I was a fool not to kill Aku outright!_

"You are the one intelligent being in this sad human land, sword, and you will eradicate those who stand in my way as my instrument of dictatorship. Goodbye, _fool!"_ Aku's hands moved toward each other, my blade meant to decapitate my former wielder. _No, no, I won't do this, NOOO!_

My vision grew dark, my frame twitching on the stone floor. I was back in the hole? It was a dream? But Aku's victorious laughter echoed in my mind, mocking me, infuriating me. _You think you've won? Guess again. I'll get you. I'll kill you. You will never rise again._ My frame vibrated wildly. _You're dead, do you hear me, demon? Dead, dead, dead, DEAD!_ With a roar, I felt my frame shoot up into the air, gaining more and more speed as I ascended putting the darkness behind me forever. It kept increasing, I could feel the strain on my frame, was I going to fall apart? I screamed for mercy, and got my wish? I flew out of the hole, hovering in the air above for a few short moments. _The sun? Light? Warmth? How beautiful._ But the strain of what I had just accomplished caught up with me, and my vision went dark as I lost consciousness.

I guess I wasn't out for too long, because the sun was still up by the time I came to, blinking from the intensity—wait what? I'm not human; my vision can't be affected by the light. I grunted as I tried to move, and it was surprisingly easy, though I was suddenly jointed. _No! The flight really did damage me! I'm broken!_ My vison no longer automatically moved where I wanted it to, something turned as I adjusted my gaze. I didn't see the metal of my blade, or the fabric of the wrap on my handle. I saw white fur, some sort of animal's body, wolf, I think? Groups of them used to circle our campsite in wooded areas, never liked us being there, but too scared to approach or attack. _Where am I? Where is my frame?_ I couldn't see anything that resembled a sword, just lots and lots of white fur. _It can't be._ If I willed a body part to move, it did. _I'm a wolf now? How is this possible?_ I stood up, enjoying the freedom of easy free movement, and took my first few steps, stumbling a bit, but I think I've got the hang of this.

 _Is this a byproduct of the power of the gods that forged me? A weapon can't achieve free movement on its own. I need the body of a being that has always known free movement._ A satisfactory explanation, if you ask me. Not worth losing my mind in an existential crisis over it. _So…_ I looked over the edge of the mountain, watching the desert span before me. For the first time in my life, I had the freedom to make my own choices, go where I please, forge my own path. _Now what?_ It was extremely daunting.

After a few days of being a wolf, being stuck in the bottom of the hole, locked in the form of a sword, didn't seem so bad. Hunger, thirst, sleep, all these I experienced for the first time, and with no one to help me differentiate the feelings my new frame, I struggled with identifying what my new form demanded of me, this need to constantly restore my energy. No wonder a sword is just a tool to a being such as man. Freedom of movement requires so much of you.

But obtaining sleep and water was easy, acquiring food was not. What was good to eat, what wasn't, I did not know. Jack ate such a variety that it was hard to remember everything. Like a babe, I imitated the animals around me, figuring they knew best. Unfortunately, their needs do not suit mine. A rabbit promptly scampered off as I approached. I tried eating the grass that it was consuming. _Nope! Gross!_ I promptly spat it out. I spied a group of vultures eating carrion. I scared them off and tried eating it myself. _Getting there, but still gross!_ Through trial and error, I learned it was fresh meat I required, acquired by killing those that ate grass. Easier said than done. When Jack hunted, he had an assortment of tools and materials to make traps, or hurl projectiles at them. I was only used to make the final blow, ending their life, and then stripping the hide from the meat below. I couldn't use his tricks. I had to discover my own. _How?_

The desert turned to grassland as I continued to travel, mocking me. Other animals could eat with ease, but _no,_ not me! I just _had_ to become a predator; I have to earn my food! My stomach growled loudly as a strange scent passed my nose, making my pause, my animal instincts identifying it as _food!_ Fresh, slaughtered meat, huzzah! _Mine, mine, mine,_ I chanted as I turned to the right and ran, following the scent. There was my prize straight ahead, a dead bull, with enough meat on its bones to keep me fed for days. But I wasn't the first to call dibbs, two humans had beat me to it. I stopped dead in my tracks, though my tail fidgeted back and forth from agitation. Out of respect for Jack, I didn't want to steal from humans, but my stomach knows no morals, only a desire to consume. I had barely eaten anything all day, just a mouthful that I stole from another animal's claim in a quick dash. He gave up the chase, but I think I spent more energy then what I gained eating.

One of the men paused in his work, removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow, and then saw me. I froze in fear, keeping a careful eye on him. Would he attack? I didn't see a gun on the ground, but he might be hiding one in his clothes. He quietly went back to his work, and I let out a sign of relief. I motioned to turn and walk away, but suddenly his arm shot forward, tossing something at me. A large chunk of meat landed a few feet from me. My mouth watered as I lunged for it.

"What are you doing?" The man demanded of the other, confused at the sudden offer of generosity. I paused, meat held between my teeth, waiting to hear what else was said. This wasn't a trap, was it? Was I going to get shot at while I ate?

"Pa told me the best way to keep predators away while you're carving meat is to give them some."

"And if they don't leave?"

"Where do you think the rug in the living room came from?"

 _Point taken._ I gingerly held the meat between my teeth, wagging my tail, domestic dogs always did that to show gratitude to Jack, and slouched down to a submissive position as I backed away slowly. Anything to show these men I was grateful for their gift and would not bother them anymore. When I was far enough away, I sat down and ate in peace. Ah the pleasures a full stomach brings, but I can't live on stealing and the occasional handout. I need to learn to hunt for myself, but how?

* * *

 _Author's note: Whoo! So glad to_ finally _be able to publish another chapter! Sorry for the massive hiatus. I had always planned on turning the sword into a wolf, yes_ the same wolf _that befriends Jack in Ep 3 of Season 5. I couldn't wrap my head around it_ , that was a dead dog _at the end of Ep 2. So, he became the sword in living form. My issue was what kind of adventures does he go on in the many years between transformation and running into Jack again? I didn't think about it for months, and when I did, I struggled to come up with something, until inspiration suddenly struck. Future chapters should hopefully not be 7 months apart._


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